


Days of future past

by Aviss



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-28
Updated: 2014-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-19 04:26:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2374508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aviss/pseuds/Aviss
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For five minutes John Stilinski thought time travel might be possible. He's not exactly surprised about what he learns about himself during those five minutes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Days of future past

**Author's Note:**

> Coda to 4.02 because seeing the Sheriff talking about time travel sparked my imagination.

John is on his second glass by the time Melissa finds him.

They were supposed to meet at eight at the restaurant, but considering the day he's had, John supposes leaving a bit early to down a couple of stiff drinks can be forgiven. He's not drunk, it has been a long time since he has felt the need to numb himself that way, the memory of his son's hurt and disappointed face enough to put him off alcohol for some time; but he likes the taste, and staring moodily at the bottom of the glass gives him a chance to think.  

Melissa enters the restaurant and locates him at the bar immediately, turning away from the dining room and heading there instead, as if that had been her destination all along. She takes the empty seat by his side and gestures to the waiter to catch his attention. There is nothing judgemental in her expression when she looks at his glass, but her arched eyebrow prompts an explanation out of him.

"Do you know what our kids brought back from Mexico?" He asks, because with all the supernatural and teenage drama going on around them there is only one certainty, their kids will lie through their teeth until forced to tell the truth if they believe it will protect them, and Melissa has been on doubles all week, most likely hasn't spoken to Scott yet.

"I have the feeling you're not talking about the ugly hat sitting on my living room right now," she says with a wry smile, and John almost chokes on his drink. "Sometimes my kid forgets where we come from."

He shakes his head fondly. Only Scott.

"No, not a hat. I would have preferred that." He can see the waiter approaching, and he hurries to get the words out before they can be overheard. "A sixteen years old Derek Hale."

" _A what?_ " Melissa startles, her eyes widening. She looks at the drink in his hands and nods, smiling weakly at their waiter. "Right, I'll have what he's having."

They wait in silence for the drink to be served, for Melissa to take a fortifying sip while the waiter goes to serve another patron.

"I think I need to have a conversation with Scott," she says after a minute, a resigned look on her face. He can understand what she's feeling only too well, always have even before their parental troubles included werewolves, kidnappings and possessions.

"I hope it goes better than the one I had with Stiles." He takes another sip of his drink, remembering everything they said. "Apparently Kate Argent, who is not as dead as she was supposed to be, kidnapped Derek, because she hasn't committed enough crimes against him already."

"Kate Argent?" There is a world of incredulity in Melissa's voice, and John can't blame her. He still has problems believing it himself, but Peter Hale is alive and walking around, generally making a nuisance out of himself, and why would he be the only one refusing to stay in his grave?

"Yes, and she somehow managed to de-age Derek to a time when they were together," he chokes out the last words, because there is no way the numbers add up in his head which doesn't result in adding _statutory rape_ to the list of things Kate Argent should burn in hell for.

"I'm not entirely sure I want to know more, tell you the truth," Melissa says weakly. "Is he...?"

"He's back to his normal self, or as normal as he can be given the circumstances. A few million to the poorer, too, according to Peter Hale."

"A few _million_?"

"One hundred and seventeen million in bearer bonds, to be precise. Not that Derek looked especially bothered by it." He finishes his drink and signals for another one, feeling the beginnings of a slight buzz. He can still have one more before that buzz turns into something else, and he plans to enjoy it.

"One hundred and seventeen million," Melissa sounds as shocked as he felt when he heard. Everyone knew the Hales were comfortable back in the day, but that is more than comfortable, that is something else entirely. "You know, now I am positive I don't want to know." She looks at his drink after she downs hers, and if this was someone else, John is certain there would be a comment about being hungry or moving things to the dining room. Melissa just signals for the waiter and gets another drink, her hand migrating from her glass to John's, taking one of his hands and entwining their fingers. "As awful and shocking as all that sounds," she continues, her hand a solid presence, anchoring John. "I don't think that is what got you in this state."

John hides his smile behind his glass, his eyes stinging a bit. He knew Melissa would see right through him, would know all that was only scratching the surface of what's bothering him. As much as Stiles knows him, he's still a kid, and there has only been one other person capable of that level of understanding before

He still misses her with every breath.

"Right before Stiles arrived with Scott, when I learned it was Derek Hale sitting outside, I wondered how they had done it, and could only find an explanation: _time travel_."

Melissa stares at him impassively and nods once. "Makes sense."

"No, not really," he laughs, and it sounds dry and humourless.

She shrugs. "It doesn't sound more unbelievable than _werewolf, kanima or de-aged Derek_. If Scott from the future suddenly appeared in front of me, I'd probably feed him and send him on his way," she says, and he is reminded that as crazy as his life is, she is the alpha's mom and has been living with all this for longer.

"But the thing is, for a few minutes I believed it was possible," John pushes forward. He wants to get everything out on the open before he loses his courage. "And I suddenly could see it so clearly. If the kids could do it, then I could get them to take me to the past." He takes a sip, savouring the burn of the bourbon and how it warms him from the inside. "I could go to Talia Hale, she was the alpha then, and convince her to give Claudia the bite," he almost chokes on her name, the sound alien after so many years of avoiding saying it out loud. "I would tell her everything, about the fire and Kate Argent and Peter. I'd look for Chris as well; warn him about his father and sister, his wife and daughter would also be alive at the end. I could see it so clearly, all of them alive and..."

He can't finish it, because the reason he needed a drink tonight isn't that fantasy, or the fact that it's impossible. It's how much he wants it considering what is missing in it.

"There isn't a place for me in that future, is there?" Melissa asks, never one to avoid uncomfortable subjects.

"No," he admits, gaze fixed on the bottom of his glass. 

" _Oh John_ ," she sighs, and there is no reproach in her voice, only sadness. He looks up at her at that, she has a heartbroken smile on her lips, eyes soft and fond as she looks at him. "Tell me one thing, if it was possible to go back, would you do it?"

He doesn't even need to think about it. "Yes."

She nods once, and John expects her to finish her drink and leave him there. Instead she leans forward and presses her lips against his cheek, the kiss achingly tender. "John Stilinski, you are the best man I've ever met, and I wouldn't expect anything less from you." 

He looks at her, confused.

"I've known you for a long time, John, and I know that the only things you wouldn't give to have Claudia back are Stiles and your honour. And you weren't talking only about getting her back, you were talking about saving a lot more people." She squeezes his hand and smiles at him, and John can't believe that she isn't upset at his admission, she isn't angry to know Claudia will always be first. "And you are here, all torn not because it's impossible, but because you wouldn't hesitate to give up what we have if it wasn't."

"Melissa," he begins, his voice low and pained. As always, she has been able to see through him easily. 

"John Stilinski, I don't fall in love with men who love half-heartedly. Rafael, in spite of his many failings, was never lacking in that. And I wouldn't have fallen for you either if you didn't give your entire heart away, whatever you managed to piece back together after Claudia." 

He stares at her, dumbfounded. They haven't spoken about feelings, not yet, not with some many complications in their lives. John knows what he feels isn't as intense as it was with Claudia, knows a part of his heart died with her, but it is love. A more sedated and mature love, one based in friendship and companionship, in the closeness of their kids and a healthy dose of attraction, and probably also the fact that they could die any day with the kind of shit happening in Beacon Hills all the time. They have been taking it slow, glacial almost, some dates on the days their shifts and kids allowed, and they haven't named what they have yet. Again, Melissa is a few steps ahead of him, acknowledging everything in the simplest of ways.

"You…" he doesn't know what to say to that, the words feeling insufficient for the feelings he wants to express. He grips her hand between his, lifting it from the bar and taking it to his lips. It's the best he can do with his throat closed by emotion, and Melissa seems to understand the gesture.

"What do you say, we skip dinner and go home?" Melissa says, signalling for the bill. "I have a bottle of bourbon and we can get some take out, and our kids are at your house, in theory. Just for tonight, let's get drunk and maudlin talking about the past. Tomorrow we can continue working on our future."

And there is nothing that John can do but nod and pay their bill, because apparently in certain occasions lightning does strike twice, and he has been lucky enough to fall in love with the two most wonderful women he has ever met.

And, against all odds, both of them have loved him back.

"Melissa McCall, you are one of a kind," he says linking their arms as they walk out of the restaurant. "I knew there was a reason I loved you."

…


End file.
